W.VA. HOUSE OF DELEGATES ; Sponsors See Issues in History Education Bill

Quinn, Ryan, The Charleston Gazette (Charleston, WV)

Eleven Republicans in the West Virginia House of Delegates are
backing an amendment to an education law that allows school workers
to face charges and potential job loss if they teach "politically
correct topics before basic courses in U.S. history, geography and
civics. The amendment, which has been introduced many times through
the years, would add misdemeanor charges if students participate in
secondary-level courses "involving the study of social problems,
global economics, foreign affairs, the United Nations, world
government, socialism or communism before they have received basic
instruction in geography, American history and U.S., state and local
government.

Delegate John Overington, R-Berkeley, who said he's been
introducing the same bill for at least 10 years and, perhaps, as
many as 25 years, said he didn't see the punitive aspects of the
legislation until this year, when the bill received more attention
than usual. Overington, who has been a lawmaker for 30 years, said
he is the longest-serving delegate in the House.

"Suddenly it's exciting, he said. He said he's had calls from
teachers worried about the punishments, which are part of existing
state law his bill would amend.

He said he's glad his bill has pointed to language that should be
removed.

The existing law threatens the misdemeanor and job removal
penalties against those who don't meet certain teaching requirements
concerning U.S. and state history and government, plus health
education.

Overington's amendment would add that threat to those who don't
teach about the geography, government and history topics before the
secondary-level courses on the identified issues. "That certainly is
not something that we want, Overington said, "and, like I said, I
got some calls from teachers saying that you're threatening to fire
us.

If the bill is taken up in committee, Overington said, he'll
offer an amendment to remove the punishments. But he said he'd still
vote for the bill even if others don't support taking out the
punishments.

The bill (HB 2107) also requires study of the Declaration of
Independence and the U.S. Constitution, "with an emphasis on the
Bill of Rights.

Some other sponsors say they also see problems in the language
that might necessitate changes.

Regardless, House Education Committee Chairwoman Amanda Pasdon, R-
Monongalia, said it's unlikely she'll agree to take the bill up in
committee, meaning it won't progress. She said she believes
Overington has the "best of intentions, but she feels the state's
education system is already over-regulated and she wants to instill
more local control.

"I'm a lover of American history, and I think that every kid
would love to know and understand American history, Pasdon said,
"but I think restricting our educators in the classroom is not what
we need to do.

If passed, it's unclear how the bill would affect, if at all,
current social studies education, which is based on standards that
already require students to begin learning about geography and
history in elementary, or primary, school, before the secondary-
level grades of six through 12.

Overington said he has no data to make the case that West
Virginia students aren't already learning enough about U.S. history
and the nation's founding documents.

He said the need is based on the poor knowledge of history he's
seen exhibited by Americans on TV shows, like in the "Watters' World
segment of Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor and the "Jaywalking
segment of the former "Tonight Show with Jay Leno, in which the host
asks easy questions on history or civics to random people on the
street, who often are unable to give the correct answer.

He also expressed concern about cultural relativism and schools
focusing more on "priorities or other topics that may be more
politically correct. …

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